I found the story intriguing all through and really liked Thora and the way she dealt with life in general. It ended a bit too randomly though and I wasn't sure how I felt about her relationship with Matthew. A good read overall.

I don't usually like to compare books in reviews but this one was undoubtedly a mix of The Selection and The Handmaid's Tale with occasional echoes of The Hunger Games. And that's pretty much it. If you've read all three of these books, you've pretty much sussed what the story is about. Not that it wasn't an enjoyable read, I really liked being able to get lost in the familiarity but I just wished it had taken a twist that would have taken the story up a level. I might still be tempted to carry on the series.

The idea behind this young adult novel is pretty unique, it's not often you get to read sci-fi based around African extraterrestrial technology (yeah it actually works way more than you'd imagine it would). And one with a relatable protagonist and equally enjoyable secondary characters. The author writes with a seamless mastery of technology which made it easy for me to suspend belief and become engulfed in the action packed and often dangerous world young Joshua and his friends live in. Clever and fun at the same time, I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a little bit of an escape from the real world, with a lot of incredibly cool tech thrown in. It's the first in a series so I'll definitely be looking out for the next instalment.

I love Mindy Kaling! I really really do. And I must admit I started this book a little cautious because I read her last one with high expectations and felt a little let down at the end. This time I found myself laughing out loud almost all through and nodding like a crazy person when I agreed with her witty observations (thank goodness it was my bedside reading and not my commuting book). I'm sure her humour is not for everyone but it's certainly worth a read just for the text/email relayed love story close to the end. Loved it!

I really wanted to like this book a lot more as it’s an epic fantasy with a lot of elements I love - young female protagonist who is unaware of her role as “the one” and discovers her abilities through a number of confrontations with forces of evil – you get the gist. The story was interesting enough but dragged in so many places that I found myself skipping pages. The fact that I didn’t miss much by doing so says a lot. Overall, a good read, but I wish it held my interest more.

I loved this fast paced novella which brings Jake Abraham back to us with a few good twists. Cliff packed a lot of information and characters into a short novella and yet it was all easy to follow, which is pretty impressive. Definitely a good taster for anyone looking to read more of Cliff's work, and a really good standalone story as well.

I have come to realise over the years that my brain doesn't deal with "self help" or "guide" books very well. It pretty much shuts off and starts to pine for something less prescriptive. So I wasn't totally sure this book would appeal to me. But by the end of the first few pages, I was hooked. It's probably because the book is written as a mix of "how-to" advice as well as narratives from the author's own comical dating experiences. It also made me think about my productivity (or lack of) in a lot of other areas of my life and, by the end of the book, I found myself thinking of how I could make positive changes in my life as a whole. Recommended for an easy yet inspiring read for people like me who tend to feel stuck in life and in love.

I wasn't sure about this one at first. It started off slow and struggled to hold my attention. But something happened about halfway through and I was hooked right until the end...which I expected...but kinda didn't...all I can say is, great book!

Easy to read and interesting most of the time but it struggled to hold my attention all the way through. I suspect it was mostly because I didn't warm to Amber as much as I would have liked. Turning to alcohol to fill a void makes sense since she had an alcoholic mother but I was hoping for her struggle with it to be addressed more and it wasn't. I also wish the ending had been a little more rounded (what's all that walking into the sunset rattle?) but I guess it's part of a series so...we'll see.

To say that this book annoyed me is an understatement. I put it down so many times in anger and considered if I should bother carrying on because it felt to me that Toke decided not to see what was right before her and coated this insane abusive relationship with the word, love. Whatever she felt for Maje was obsessive and needy and, in part, encouraged his behaviour because he knew she would always take him back in spite of all the cheating and lying. I'm not saying I didn't feel sorry for her, it's impossible not to, but the poor girl should have walked away so early on in the relationship that it became difficult to empathise with her when he committed yet another unspeakable act and she forgave him...again! This book gets a three star because of her courage to share the truth with the world. Stories like this need to be told to help women in similar situations wake up to the reality of their (I'll say it) stupidity. It doesn't sound like he ever hit her, but the psychological abusive she received did a lot worse.

Trying to find the right words to describe this book and two keep popping into my head - bohemian and grownup. It's not a conventional read and I suspect a lot of people won't like it, but it's funny and sad and infuriating at times because you want Maria to stop craving the ideal life she's convinced herself she needs to complete her existence as it's clearly harming her physically and psychologically. Definitely not for everyone but I'd give it a go if you're sick of modern chic-lit drivel where there's a sickly sweet answer to everything in the end.